Moonraiser's Necklace
Prologue The seven dragonets gathered around the enchanted tree, gazing at its golden leaves and chocolate-brown trunk. The eldest stepped forward and touched the bark with the palm of his talon, and a quiet chanting arose from deep within the wood. The branches began to sway, the leaves trembling in a nonexistent breeze. The air seemed to be full of silent thunder, steadily vibrating as if waiting to strike with its searing blade of light. The leaves glowed warmly. The dragonet stepped back as the chanting grew louder, and one voice began to sing out above the others: There once was a dragon who raised the moon, Making a third so night was like noon. The newborn light sliced like knives, Tearing holes in sleeping skies. But the new moon's power was too much, And devoured sight at the slightest touch. To save her family and her world, Into the moon the dragon hurled The necklace she'd had all her life To protect her home from strife. The moon's endless blaze continued its roar, Not enough, it wanted more. And so, the greatest deed of all, For this dragon's heart was never too small, Happened that night over the dunes, The dragon gave herself to the moon. The dragonets' eyes widened, and the vibrations in the air grew stronger. The first voice fell back, giving way to another, who rose above the crowd and continued the song. They say that Moonraiser left her child Who had to stay back as the roaring moon riled But when her mother disappeared into the moon A prophecy woke, she'd come back soon And from the ashes, the necklace will rise Right before our very eyes and crown the fabled child. The voice died down with all the others, the branches stilled, and the dragonets left the tree. Chapter One - Alone Stargazer walked slowly through the stalls of Sandwings. Every morning she began her daily routine of trading for food in the stalls. She ignored the rude calls from Sandwings ("Go back to the shadows, Nightwing!" and "We made this place for Sandwings, not outsiders like you!") as she bought a couple of dried lizards and a pineapple. The sun beat down hard through the thin layers of cloth hanging over the trading stalls. When she made her way back home, she shut herself in the house and slammed the food on the table. Hearing her, Xerocole walked in from the dim hallway. "What is wrong, Stargazer?" he asked softly. "It's just-" she started. "Why do I have to live here? Everyone either teases, hurts or insults me." "Give it time. These dragons have small minds, and they will eventually discover that you are a dragon too."Stargazer smiled and together they ate the food she had brought home. Xerocole was an old Sandwing who mostly lived on his own. He had found Stargazer sitting alone in the desert, staring up at the sky in the middle of the night. He took her home, and their friendship was born. Stargazer and Xerocole's house was small, and made of sandstone and limestone. The wooden door led to a small but cozy kitchen. The interior was simple: a sort of stove for cooking, a table, some mats and a couple small windows covered with cloth. The room was lit by a single dim candle. Through a short hall at the back, it split into two rooms. Xerocole's bedroom, and Stargazer's room (formerly the storage space before she was found). Xerocole's room had an ordinary bed with a thin patterned blanket and a shelf for scrolls. Stargazer's room had a similar bed and a table for her art. Both rooms each had a window above the bed, covered with cloth because Xerocole preferred to keep it dark. Stargazer loved her home, her art space. Xerocole had given her everything she could, and yet she still needed more. Made a few years ago to hide from the wars following the Scorching, a group of Sandwings got together and made a new settlement called the Scorpion Den. Some of the rudest and cruel dragons lived there, and she was lucky to have been found by Xerocole. But the attention from him wasn't enough. She lived in such a crowded city, and yet still felt alone. Chapter Two - Frostburn Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Genre (Prophecy)